I keep a pair of weather proof GMRS radios in my truck. This is in case my wife and I need to split up or inadvertently separated as a back up to cellphones on road trips or in the event of a break down. I have two non-weatherproof GMRS radios as backups at the house. I grew up in south Florida where we prepped for hurricanes every spring. Had everything ready in case utilities were down for 2-4 weeks. This mindset carried over when I moved to GA in my 20s.
Well done video. I am a licensed ham "like CB ot something" to the rest of my family...Would like to establish a communication network using gmrs. This really shows what can be affordable and without allot a difficulty
Great video! I'm a ham that recently got into GMRS for the same reason as you. My wife has no interest in nerdy ham radio stuff so I figured a simple GMRS radio was the way to go. Currently looking at moving my mobile GMRS radio into the house to setup as a base station and trying to pick out cabling and antenna.
I found the diamond MC203 mobile antenna works great, need a lip mount, I bought the diamond lip mount, great gain. 6+ gain. I have two Wouxun KG935 + handhelds. We built a GMRS j pole works really well, not outside yet, but is at the highest point in the house, our local raptor has great coverage 45+ miles in any directions. The LMR coax is a good Choice especially in the band , don’t want a lot of power loss. I got my eye on mess coax that makes coax just for the vhf/uhf, 28 stranded braid center. I’m also a ham N2tim. You just never know when all fails, radio communications will be there.
Thanks for the info! I spent more time last night noodling with local repeaters and got connected with a couple of them. Still learning how the programming software works. You’re right…when all else fails, radio gets through.
I have an amateur license. I recently got my GMRS for similar reasons. It never hurts to have a plan for contingency. I also got frustrated with the Elmers on ham. My wife wouldn't use a GMRS except in an emergency. I have always enjoyed radio. I was a teenager when CBs were all the rage.
I got into amateur radio through CB way back in the day too. I’m finding in my area that the local GMRS repeaters are way more active than the ham repeaters.
@@k2cjbradio The ham repeaters in our area and quite active. I am in Huntsville, Alabama, where engineers are a dime a dozen. I'm considering setting up a GMRS repeater, since there are very few of those around.
I’m interested to see if your wife’s radio is set up to talk on a repeater, would she be able to reach you at the house being further away. The second question no one seems to address is, the family can run on your call sign per FCC. I’m confused how that works since you would be using the call sign to identify you, how does your wife identify herself? I’m in the same situation with my wife and radios. Great video. Thank you.
I have programmed two local repeaters in my radio to test them. Both have excellent coverage but unfortunately do not cover where the church is. But from where she volunteers and pretty much everywhere else we travel locally there is good coverage. Regarding the license: the license is for the family so we would both use the same call sign and can optionally designators like “unit 1” and “unit 2”. But from what i have seen, that’s optional. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching!!
When your wife was testing with the Nagoya UT-72G did she stop and try to key up or was she driving and keying up? I am only asking because my Nagoya UT-72G will make my recieve and transmit make popcorn popping sound when driving over 20 mph. Static build up on the antenna tip. My HTs with a Nagoya 771G will hit my local repeater that's 16 miles line of site from I side my bedroom just fine.
@k2cjbradio no problem. I would do another test but have her fully stopped at each point and to further take any vehicle interference from the equation have her turn the engine off. These mobile magmounted antennas really don't have a good ground that's what I think is the issue. You should be getting clearer transmissions and recieves with that antenna. I go further than that on simplex HT to HT with Nagoya 771G antenna on each HT and we don't have a clear line of site here.
Excellent video, thanks for the shout out. Really good setup. I had to take notes.
Thanks for watching! Learned alot from your videos!
I keep a pair of weather proof GMRS radios in my truck. This is in case my wife and I need to split up or inadvertently separated as a back up to cellphones on road trips or in the event of a break down. I have two non-weatherproof GMRS radios as backups at the house. I grew up in south Florida where we prepped for hurricanes every spring. Had everything ready in case utilities were down for 2-4 weeks. This mindset carried over when I moved to GA in my 20s.
Excellent!! I would imagine you learned alot in FL!
Well done video. I am a licensed ham "like CB ot something" to the rest of my family...Would like to establish a communication network using gmrs.
This really shows what can be affordable and without allot a difficulty
Thanks!!
Great video! I'm a ham that recently got into GMRS for the same reason as you. My wife has no interest in nerdy ham radio stuff so I figured a simple GMRS radio was the way to go. Currently looking at moving my mobile GMRS radio into the house to setup as a base station and trying to pick out cabling and antenna.
Fantastic! Check out mygmrs.com for local repeaters. I’ve found a couple with great coverage.
I found the diamond MC203 mobile antenna works great, need a lip mount, I bought the diamond lip mount, great gain. 6+ gain. I have two Wouxun KG935 + handhelds. We built a GMRS j pole works really well, not outside yet, but is at the highest point in the house, our local raptor has great coverage 45+ miles in any directions. The LMR coax is a good Choice especially in the band , don’t want a lot of power loss. I got my eye on mess coax that makes coax just for the vhf/uhf, 28 stranded braid center. I’m also a ham N2tim. You just never know when all fails, radio communications will be there.
Thanks for the info! I spent more time last night noodling with local repeaters and got connected with a couple of them. Still learning how the programming software works. You’re right…when all else fails, radio gets through.
I have an amateur license. I recently got my GMRS for similar reasons. It never hurts to have a plan for contingency. I also got frustrated with the Elmers on ham. My wife wouldn't use a GMRS except in an emergency. I have always enjoyed radio. I was a teenager when CBs were all the rage.
I got into amateur radio through CB way back in the day too. I’m finding in my area that the local GMRS repeaters are way more active than the ham repeaters.
@@k2cjbradio The ham repeaters in our area and quite active. I am in Huntsville, Alabama, where engineers are a dime a dozen. I'm considering setting up a GMRS repeater, since there are very few of those around.
I’m interested to see if your wife’s radio is set up to talk on a repeater, would she be able to reach you at the house being further away. The second question no one seems to address is, the family can run on your call sign per FCC. I’m confused how that works since you would be using the call sign to identify you, how does your wife identify herself? I’m in the same situation with my wife and radios. Great video. Thank you.
I have programmed two local repeaters in my radio to test them. Both have excellent coverage but unfortunately do not cover where the church is. But from where she volunteers and pretty much everywhere else we travel locally there is good coverage. Regarding the license: the license is for the family so we would both use the same call sign and can optionally designators like “unit 1” and “unit 2”. But from what i have seen, that’s optional. Hope that helps! Thanks for watching!!
When your wife was testing with the Nagoya UT-72G did she stop and try to key up or was she driving and keying up? I am only asking because my Nagoya UT-72G will make my recieve and transmit make popcorn popping sound when driving over 20 mph. Static build up on the antenna tip. My HTs with a Nagoya 771G will hit my local repeater that's 16 miles line of site from I side my bedroom just fine.
Interesting. She was driving for most of the test. I’ll check into that some more. Thanks!
@k2cjbradio no problem. I would do another test but have her fully stopped at each point and to further take any vehicle interference from the equation have her turn the engine off. These mobile magmounted antennas really don't have a good ground that's what I think is the issue. You should be getting clearer transmissions and recieves with that antenna. I go further than that on simplex HT to HT with Nagoya 771G antenna on each HT and we don't have a clear line of site here.
Nice video and I like your approach. I might look into something similar. 73, WRQD683
Thanks Mike! I’ve connected with two repeaters in the area which works much better with the HTs in the mobiles. 73!